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So like many, I look forward to the weekend so I can get out on my bike. I run a village shop so I'm working most days (12hr days 6days a week at the mo) and my bike time is my time off.
However, I've had a massive increase in trade this week, villagers and locals working from home come in who I'd only usually see on a weekend are coming in daily. Many visitors from further a field too, they to the village for a country side walk, which it's well known for. So I've prob been in contact with several hundreds of different individuals in the shop over the course of the last couple days alone.
On top of that to meet the demand I've been picking up extra stock - the places where I pick up stock have also had a massive surge in customers, so my chances of picking something up there and getting Ill (not just covid-19) are dramatically increased, and thus spread into my local comunity through me.
Living in the countryside I could normally ride for miles without seeing anyone, trails are literally meters from my door. But in the last few days the rural persuits activities in the area have also increased. There were more visitors in the village yesterday than actually live here.
So, I feel the best way I can help protect my local community. I'm not going out for a ride.
I'm a 'special case' though 😁. If you do go out for a ride, please go somewhere where fewer people are. Not a trail centre. Don't do the shop/cafe stop. Even though it may seem like over kill, do try to keep 2m away from others you meet. And do have some fun on my behalf.
Yep, a car park just down the road from me in New Forest is usually half full at the weekend as good for walks in numerous directions. This weekend the car park is full with cars flowing out and just parking on grass by side of road. Never seen so many people going out for walks in the forest.
I am still riding as much as normal though as I am out by 07:30 in the morning and the people out for a walk are not that keen...
Working today, but riding and dog walking is going to be rarely used routes from now on or odd hours.
+1, Just cancelled usual ride with mate in a popular spot whilst wearing cycle gear at 6.30 am and shifting to on own and odd hours less popular route. For my family and for the wider cycling community. Being in a school with 1500+ people until Saturday and several mass staff meetings does make you out of touch.
Op, it’s a truly impossible situation as you are providing a vital service but it sounds far more likely people will catch something from you whilst you do your day job than when on a bike. Given you think your chance of being infected is high (and it probably is, you’ll only know if you are now in a couple of weeks), what do you do when a 70+ year old comes into your shop?
Up here in rural Speyside it's actually a good bit quieter, I put this down to less whisky tourists of which a high percentage are European and especially Scandinavian. With the travel bans they can no longer reach here.
I'm in Aberlour and while there's good riding from my door we're thankfully overlooked as folks tend to head for the nearby Cairngorms instead. I could count on my fingers how many folk I meet on the trails I use during the year. I can usually tell who's been out by the tyre tracks that have been left too.
The pictures I've seen of folks out in parks down south is truly scary though, that certainly isn't social distancing.
far more likely people will catch something from you whilst you do your day job than when on a bike
Completely agree, I've made changes to the buisness so that risks are reduced. No more visiting wholesale, I've engaged with 4 new suppliers to facilitate this with delivery only. Changes in the shop too, free gloves to customers to shop in, door is always open so you don't touch the handle, wireless card transactions etc.
But I feel going out on the bike at the Mo, when lots of people have shifted from the towns to the country side would just add me into the mix there too.
Being in a school with 1500+ people until Saturday and several mass staff meetings does make you out of touch.
We lost our students Thursday. But I was in a room with 30 staff Friday. We have 3000 students in 1 building. I think the schools needed to have gone to home working a week earlier. If only to clarify the message. I saw loads of teenagers sat in a large tight group on a skate ramp yesterday. They shouldn't be doing that. But the day before they were legally obliged to attend a school of over 1000 students
I'll go for walk this morning with my wife some where quiet. Then I'll have a sub 1 hour road spin this afternoon. A slight niggle with my hip will make it easier to limit my riding
I’m in Aberlour and while there’s good riding from my door we’re thankfully overlooked as folks tend to head for the nearby Cairngorms instead.
True dat. As I wrote elsewhere, I went out late yesterday for a bivvy and got back earlier this morning. Only saw 6 folk in total and 4 of them within a few metres of Aviemore itself. It's still possible to find isolation even here if you know where to look and avoid the busier times of day.
I went out after dark for a South downs pootle yesterday and didn't see anyone at all.
I'm staying away in the day.
Going by FB posts, Surrey Hills was rammed yesterday apparently. Not just riders. Walkers in big groups hugging each other. Walking Bottom car park the usual crammed social meet. Despite requests to only go two at a time into the village shop and keep distance, not queue outside, apparently the opposite was happening.
I went elsewhere but loads of people out. As said, not just riders. Was good to see a lot of families with their kids riding though.
I think with everything else shut and everyone thinking exercise in the country is good and socially distant, it's ended up making the countryside a gathering point which is what the government are trying to shut down.
I don't want to lose the ability to ride as it's a lifeline for me, even just pootle about. However at this rate we're going to get a full ban. We're paralleling Italy for infections and death rate, just a couple weeks behind. They've banned riding and now just banned all outdoor activity.
At present though I'd say no gnar, think about less popular places to go for a walk or ride or keep it local.
I'm putting outdoor riding on hold. I used up my NHS credit exactly 2 years ago. At a rough estimate 100 people helped put me back together. Least I can do is relieve a tiny amount of pressure.
Just called off a bike ride with a mate. He had been thinking the same thing. We were only going to ride on the road to reduce the risk of a minor injury and stay out of A&E, not that that risk was high to start with. I’ll still be going for a road ride in a bit as there are load of quiet lanes around me. Going to be doing that a lot for a while.
Delamere Forest, 5 mins from home for me, is always busy on a weekend but.....yesterday was something else....I have never, in all my 54 years, seen it as busy - car parks overflowing and large groups of walkers.....obviously i can't say too much as I was there too to witness it but I was absolutely gobsmacked by the numbers of people....
@monkeyboyjc Make sure your door handles and plates are brass. The virus can only manage 4 hours before it is de-activated on this metal. If you're very flush copper works too. Our Victorian forbears got it right accidentally when they made hospital door furniture brass.
The door to the shop is open so no touching, but cleaning routine has increased three fold, unfortunately freezer doors arn't brass......
What you say is spot on but how can you really avoid people in your job i am on holiday this week went out for a ride in Wiltshire quiet in some places on the canal but way busier in certain places i work for Royal Mail not shutting us down i collect mail two businesses i go to have closed down and people working from home but last week had to use door handles to get into buildings you just cant win and on delivery they can put item on door ring bell then stand back and see if anyone comes to the door if not leave a card but you can sign them yourself so no one else touches the scanner crazy and scary times.
I’ll still be going for a road ride in a bit as there are load of quiet lanes around me. Going to be doing that a lot for a while.
I'm just about to the same
Lots of groups of unrelated male riders in the FoD today. Some boneheads were even doing an unofficial Parkrun at Mallards Pike yesterday.
Thousands more people are going to die in a fairly short time unless we can convince people that socialising is bad, bad, bad.
No-one's saying don't go out, but going out in non-cohabiting groups is selfish and stupid. It's going to kill your parents, grandparents and vulnerable youngsters.
Watch the stuff from Italy, you can't say we weren't warned.
no matter how isolated your ride is, going about it is "normalizing" activity.
Just saw a mate saying the golfie had lots of groups riding there. So groups in a high risk area riding high risk trails. That's not too helpful.
It was like a bank holliday in Snowdownia Yesterday, car parks rammed
Taken from the BBC Web site,
Snowdonia National Park has said yesterday's scenes were "unprecedented".
Chief executive of the Snowdonia National Park Authority Emyr Williams said: "The area has been overwhelmed with visitors.
"More worrying still is the significant crowding on the mountain summits and trails making it impossible to maintain effective social distancing."
The park said: "If no further steps are taken we will need to take drastic measures to protect the communities and health services in north Wales, such as shutting down car parks and trails."
Still riding at the moment, though consciously taking it steady. Cut Gate was quiet on Friday, and my local ride this am was no busier than usual, just a couple of dog walkers. I imagine the usual places will be rammed though - the fact it is Mother’s Day and the first really nice day of the year will add to it I’m sure!
no matter how isolated your ride is, going about it is “normalizing” activity.
Haha ha ha ha. Ha. In the absence of any good arguments, this is a belter.
Mrs notlocal and I are currently enduring 14 days of isolation. We both have temperatures of 38°+ but with no other symptoms. As paramedics, we've been told to stay at home until the 14 days end, or until symptoms appear, at which point the countdown resets.
We've heard from friends that Ballater campsite is heaving with caravaners and campers self isolating. As a result they've increased the population, and subsequently, the demand on local provisions which were already thin on the ground due to selfish idiots panic buying everything in sight.
Our house backs onto the old railway line path and has never been so busy as it has this weekend.
I enjoyed a ride yesterday and a walk today.
I live on one of the main roads out of Sheffield in to the Peak District. Last but one house then open countryside and I’m astonished and appalled at the constant stream of cars that were heading out there this morning.
Families, pensioners, groups of yoofs, convertibles out for a spin. You name it.
The concept of limiting non essential travel clearly has a different definition for some people. In fact quite a few people. Surely the only way to control this is the same way the likes of France are now dealing with it. Fines for leaving your home. It depresses me just how many ****ing morons there are in this country.
Busy with riders on the A6 this morning. Mostly solo, a few pairs and some of them were keeping apart. A few groups of 4, but cruising carefully.
Turned back into the village and a close pack of 6-7 club riders came through on a mission. I'll not name the club, but they weren't representing cycling very well
Haha ha ha ha. Ha. In the absence of any good arguments, this is a belter.
fair enough, just go about your business, you're not the problem.... oh hang on perhaps....
It is annoying that people are taking the p1ss. I use a bike as transport as well as for fun. I will be fed up if cycling is outlawed due to the way recreational cyclists and walkers are behaving. It was bank holiday level busy here yesterday. Car parks full. Felt weird to be inundated with people all of a sudden.
There is a rumour that the police have asked people in Tenby to get off the beach.
It is annoying that people are taking the p1ss.
anyone out on a bike or walking for pleasure, in the current climate, is "taking the piss" and the sooner we realise the sooner we will get through this.
People need to remember that the official government advice in Friday's press conference was that a walk or ride within the social distancing guidelines was good for mental and physical well being.
Ok. I guess I'm lucky but with a massive forest out the back door and chuff all people I'll carry on with a bit of jogging until the official advice changes.
The bit I'm struggling with is
"No unnecessary travel"
To get to the hills it's usually bike on the car job, this would be classed as unnecessary wouldn't it?
that the official government advice
ffs, italy, spain, france ..... and i imagine they all thought allowing cycling would be a good idea...
Look I understand it, I would love to be out, I love riding a bike with a passion off road on road I don't care just to be on a bike and the weather is stunning. We called off of pre breakfast walk, we've had our son leave stuff ooutside and were not going to hug our grand daughter the wife is heart broken but she gets it. You might be entitled to ride I know I am but I'm not.
OK Klunk, seeing as how you are the expert, what danger is there in a solo ride from your door, not seeing anyone?
I get that not everyone will follow the guidance (which is presumably why other countries are in lockdown) but how can you object to those that do?
NHS advice is also that you can leave the house to exercise even if you're self isolating due to having symptoms, so long as you stay 2m away from other people.
OK Klunk, seeing as how you are the expert, what danger is there in a solo ride from your door, not seeing anyone?
there's none but that's not the point is it, we should perhaps arrange a group ride all 2 meters apart through london. See how that goes down, you know just to rub it in cos we can :/
Klunk, it is my point. Also, a video of Scotland Chief Medical Officer saying bike rides in small groups is fine.
doing anything in small groups is fine, I sure pubs would love to open @ 5 people per hour or restaurants or cafes. but it's not a luxury the have.
It is exactly the point. If you make a blanket rule that makes no sense in lots of people's context it's unlikely to be embraced in a sustainable way.
We're avoiding unnecessary contact, not seeing the grandparents (big loss as the kids normally see them 3-4 times a week), no travelling, w@h, holidays cancelled, no schools, no nursery.
Taking it upon myself to harm my physical and mental wellbeing by avoiding the empty forest is not high on my list right now.
Why hasn't football restarted on the basis of 2m spacing within crowds ? football gets it! it's not about personal entitlement it's about the collective good.
We're avoiding unnecessary contact, me & the Mrs stopping riding our tandem round the lanes is pretty damn low contact scenario.
Why hasn’t football restarted on the basis of 2m spacing within crowds ? football gets it!
Because they know it would be impossible to enforce. I accept that the problem is that people abuse the situation & fail to maintain social distance. I also accept that because of this a lockdown is inevitable. But as far as I am concerned, if I am doing it correctly I’ll continue to ride outside until it is banned because I am not spreading the virus.
I am doing it correctly I’ll continue to ride outside until it is banned because I am not spreading the virus.
ffs
Shite analogy between watching a football match and going out for a run from your front door.
Football is a business for a start, and social contact is unavoidable in a football stadium.
The greater good, whatever that is, could arguably be best served by keeping as healthy and sane as possible for as long as possible while following all relevant government advice.
Out of interest, what other bits of official government advice on this crisis do you recommend disregarding?
Out of interest, what other bits of official government advice on this crisis do you recommend disregarding?
lol
Thousands of extra people will die in the next month because of the way we've behaved in this country this weekend. Mostly due to twits in London going to markets etc., but still, we share collective responsibility.
Because they know it would be impossible to enforce. I accept that the problem is that people abuse the situation & fail to maintain social distance
🙂 normalizing
I'm lucky. 200 metres approx of tarmac and I'm on the foothills of a mountain in the Highlands. I have yet to meet anyone when out on various deer tracks, and I can ride a 40 mile loop like that.
I don't know if it applies for this virus, but access to sunshine and open air improved recovery rates for Spanish Flu quite substantially.
I'd hate to live in or near a city.
there’s none but that’s not the point is it, we should perhaps arrange a group ride all 2 meters apart through london. See how that goes down, you know just to rub it in cos we can :/
Rub it in to who? The same applies to walkers or runners. Keep a sensible distance apart. That's what all those people out over the weekend failed to do, on hills, on beaches, in towns and villages. So if total lockdown, no going out, does come in, it will be due to them not me and my partner going out for a ride round the lanes on our own.
I did my food shop yesterday, which unless I'm mistaken we would still be allowed to do under a lockdown regime, and came into contact with many more people than I had for the week before which included 4 bike rides.
Klunk, have a word with yourself, you've lost it.
Klunk, have a word with yourself, you’ve lost it.
perhaps, ride yer bike don't ride yer bike It's another one of those flagging threads where to find a selfish ****.
Get the sentiment, not a fan of the abuse though. Still, I haven't been outside for a week so today was a relief to see the sun, the mud and taste the world again. Definitely loads more people out in my local woods than I'd seen up there before. Social distancing firmly in place though, we aren't a tourist destination.
I was in Edinburgh yesterday, (i drive a coach)
I saw more bikes yesterday afternoon than i ever do on the busiest summer day.
It was literally unbelievable.
I think klunk does actually have a point,
You go for a ride, see 2 people in total, they see you riding and that becomes‘normal’
So they think it’s ok to go for a ride.
not a fan of the abuse though.
yeah sorry about that. blame on the box of 12 red my FIL got us last monday.
Yup don't see why klunk is having a hard time here. What he said was going for a ride normalises it, people see it and think "great idea I'll ring Al and TomD and organise a group ride" that was definitely happening yesterday. So 'm secretly riding in the dead of night... Or more accurately eating chocolate on the sofa.
And the number of gnarpoons on cars driving past my hoose to go to glentress/inners was crazy. Hooning round the trails isn't cycling for exercise its deciding your own enjoyment trumps the advice we're being given.
In somethingion excercise good but there is a good point made by klunk thats been roundly shouted down. There is a balance to all these things.
But just what point is Klunk making? Seems to be saying don't ride or walk anywhere, even if you're by yourself and in a very remote location - am I right here? I have no argument whatsoever with saying those going up Snowdon in a coach party are irresponsible, but that doesn't appear to be Klunk's point, so what is it exactly?
He's making a very, very stretched consequentialist ethical judgement that the act of going for a bike ride on your own in the woods is wrong because:
- Someone might see you going for a ride
- That person might think that going for a bike ride is normal
- That person then does not go on a bike ride on their own, but organises a group ride or travels unnecessarily to go on a bike ride
So basically my action is wrong because of something someone else may or may not do, based on them observing me doing something and deciding to do something else.
An ethical construction so convoluted it would embarrass St Thomas Aquinas.
i dont know about anyone else but i dont really watch or read the news, or look at the forums or social media over a weekend (especially when its stops raining for the first time in months) that stuff is weekday procrastination fodder... logging in online from home this morning and perusing my usual sites and threads, i must say i feel a bit guilt shamed by it all.
i dont think i acted against any government advice; rode solo on friday, spent most of the ride just digging actually. rode in a group of 3 on saturday, but bumped into another pair we know making it 5. (never bloody get as many as 5 together normally) we rode in the local woods from our front doors and generally kept our distance. also this weekend i went to B&Q and the LBS. B&Q was madness, busiest ive ever seen it. i wore gloves and quickly grabbed what i needed and left. bike shop was busy too, i like to think im pretty good at bike maintenance but this was an emergency frame issue and i was still of the impression im gonna be riding loads over the next few weeks!! on Sunday we visited my mother, we sat in the garden and avoided contact but we were definitely not isolated.
I dont think weve been as idiotic as many but do feel we contributed to the problem a bit and will be stepping up the program as of today.
if you can ride to the woods, I can drive to the beach.
I went for a road cycle yesterday on my own. Did pass my usual cycling budy going the other way and we stopped for a 5 min chat (2 meters apart) then went out seperate ways
Uploaded ride to strava, only to spot that the folks who I sometimes do the local club ride with had just ridden as a big group , just not called it a club ride.
These people come across a decent people in person, so why do they act like tits and insist on ignoring pretty clear advice. It's because of folks like them that in a few days we may not be able to cycle at all..
if you can ride to the woods, I can drive to the beach.
If you can peel a potato, I can mow the lawn.
well I went out for a 2hr ride this am at 7, met 1 jogger who stopped on trail to let me past.
Needed to get out for my own sanity
I bet that jogger is now on meetup organising a great big charity group bike ride. Hope you feel happy with yourself.
Wtf are you on about?
I am 'Kin delighted thanks. the pass took less than a couple of secs 🙄
jeezo.....she stood off trail and I flew past and I mean I was really flying cause I'm so rad 🤟.
I rode in the Surrey Hills yesterday. Peaslake stores and Walking Bottom were packed. Lots of MTBers standing round in groups, as well as walkers of all ages. I rode through without stopping and had a food break up on the hills. Then today Peaslake stores have sent out a message saying that they will only serve villagers from now. Inevitable.
Wtf are you on about?
Sarcasm based on thread content, is my guess.
Another thing to throw into the mix is that riding "high-risk" or remote trails could result in an injury that requires diverting resources from essential cases to you. Or maybe they'll just leave you to rot on a hillside somewhere.
Gentle solo or pairs road rides or mtb on forest paths only for me for the duration.
Rule 1 still applies - don't be a dick.
The nobber on our local news who drove from Manchester to the lakes intending to stay in the car, then stopped for an icecream because 'you have to, really' is a case in point.
@bruneep sorry it was a joke, apparently that's what will happen if you go for a ride. You'll lead other astray.
It was lovely and quiet out on the roads at just after 6 o'clock this morning. Might go out a bit earlier tomorrow morning though, just to make sure I am as far from folk as possible.
Thing is, the simple request for people to exercise common sense didn't work, much like the sneering condescension hasn't worked either.
Just like their are idiots who can't follow simple advice, there will always be miserable pricks letting us know how self-righteous they are.
Another happy COVID-19 day!
don't forget the selfish ****s proclaiming how entitled they are.
That's standard though. But I haven't seen too much of that, just mostly just self-righteous ****ers and stupid people unable to follow simple requests. To be honest, this episode is further reinforcing why I prefer dogs to people.
we share collective responsibility.
I don't share any "collective responsibility" for people failing to practice social distancing.
This is the same as the "riding through red lights gives us all a bad name" argument. It doesn't. It gives the people flouting the rules a bad name.
Fatality on Honister Pass yesterday. Big emergency response to a cyclist who crashed. Not sure how many potential transmission contacts were made. Sadly he didn't end up using up one of the county's 28 ICU beds. 5 deaths from CV19 in Cumbria already. Just saying.
As the OP I'm wondering if anyone has changed there mind and won't be riding this weekend??
I've had a manic week.....
Moved out of my house, away from my family, for potentially 6months. The wife has an autoimmune illness and is on the high risk 1.5mil crit list. So either we shut the shop or one of us moved out. This was within 14hrs of the last Sundays gov. announcement, 24hrs after I posted this to the forum. Packed bags, left.
Now the shop Is a attached to the house so the door between me and my wife and daughter is locked and alarmed from their side. However I can hear them, but can see them.
On top of that my customer base has tripped, over the week. So the shop is rapidly running out of stock, the shop is the only village shop for around a 3mile radius and now serves 8 or 9small villages filled with people working from home, in self isolation etc. Vast majority are over 70.
To top it off, each day, I'm getting double the amount of requests for home delivery. Which, a week ago I did myself after work (we have 3 regulars for home drop off that that was it) . This time next week I'm thinking 300+ in a week based on the phone calls and Web enquiries.
I'm trying to send staff home as they are either, also in the over 70s cat, or have familys themselves. Rather than put them and their family at risk by asking them to work in the shop.
So I'm working upto 18hr days, mostly my own where I can, trying to find and organise stock, run the shop, organise deliveries (only to the most vulnerable, you wouldn't believe the requests), since I've moved on Monday about ive Seen the wife/daughter from distance 5m + or vid call only.
And.......
We are still getting people travelling to the village from near by towns and city's, for a countryside walk or cycle, who then come in the shop. Touch all the stock have a chat. Etc. Who just don't get it.....
So as I write this at 3am before going to work, any one still thinking about going for a ride this weekend?
Monkeyboy - good on you for doing a fantastic job. Do you have a local Facebook page? I am sure some one would volunteer to help you ?
Or even put a notice up in your window?
Non locals coming to your area is difficult and people really are not getting it, I don’t know how people will be persuaded not to be idiots.
I'd love to just get the chance to go out for even a short ride. Working for a local authority trying to keep essential services going has meant me putting in 15-16+ hour days, 7 days a week. Luckily I can work from home, but seeing the glorious riding weather outside the window has been doing my nut in. Hopefully, once plans are fully in place dust might settle a bit and we get the chance to switch off for short periods. If I do I'll try to get in a road ride. By then I expect it'll be raining, but I'll take that! Still, maybe better to be busy and fully occupied than sat home doing nowt. A day off would be ace though....
Yep with you luv2ride
Started at 3am, its now 8pm so a 17hr day today.
& The walkers stated at 6am in the village.
Hardest call today was an nhs staff member who is now in isolation with their family (as of last night), doesn't have enough food to last until Monday. We are getting them a delivery 1st thing tomorrow.